Mission Animal Hospital has been a pillar in the Ventura community since the 1940s, providing pets with the healthcare they need. Our doctors take the time to explain specific conditions and general animal husbandry so you have the necessary knowledge to best care for your pets.

One night in August of this year, our cat, Blanco, came into the house with a clearly broken leg. He was in tremendous pain and since we had just moved to Ventura from Chicago, I had no idea who to call. Read More>>

Blanco

One night in August of this year, our cat, Blanco, came into the house with a clearly broken leg. He was in tremendous pain and since we had just moved to Ventura from Chicago, I had no idea who to call.

I contacted my landlord who referred me to Mission Animal Hospital. Despite the fact that Dr. Conard was completely booked and that we had no relationship with him, he got us in first thing in the morning. He immediately gave Blanco something for the pain and scheduled x-rays for later that morning. The x-rays showed that his leg was broken in two places, thus in-office treatment options did not seem possible as the only choice, given the urgency, was a very expensive surgery at the local referral Hospital.

Financially, referral surgery was not going to be an option for us and thus felt our only option would be to put him to sleep. Obviously, this was devastating as he is a young cat. Dr. Conard kept Blanco pain free for a short time as we struggled with our reconciled idea to put our cat down. It was then that Dr. Conard offered a third option-- to amputate his leg! While we thought it drastic, Dr. Conard patiently walked us through the process of the surgery, expected recovery and future prognosis. So, this is what we did.

The first few days were rough. Blanco hid in the closet, wasn’t that interested in food and obviously had difficulty walking. After about 10 days, he emerged from the closet and hopped to the screen door where he sat all day in the breeze. After about a 1 month period, Blanco was still visibly missing his leg (falling and awkwardly hopping), but joined the rest of the family and ate well.

It’s now been nearly 3 months since his surgery and he is a few pounds lighter, running, playing with cat toys, jumping on the bed and best of all, snuggling with us again.

The moral of this story is not that cats have nine lives...but that cats can thrive without four legs. Like humans, animals can thrive and adapt with change and loss of limb. This story highlights that Blanco can and will adapt with the proper Medical management, home care and love...something animals and humans alike thrive for